Incubator



G. C. AND C. KITCHEN.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26, I919.

1,368,562, Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

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I 'APPLICATION FILED AUG-26,1919- 1,368,562, Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

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ATTORNEYS G. C. AND C. KITCHEN.

INCUBATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-26. .9153.

Patented Feb. 15

1921. 3 SHEETS-SHEET s.

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UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE.

INCUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Application filed August 26, 1919. Serial No. 319,893.

vised to operate automatically whenever there is a modification or fluctuation of that degree of heat best suited to produce the desired results.

More specifically, we provide to this end a suitable source of heat as well as means for effectingthe circulation of air in or through the incubator, in combination with thermostatic control means common to both of these elements.

It is furthermore comprehended as a part of our invention to employ a suitable signal or alarm device so arranged as to be operative when the variation of temperature is abnormal or excessive one way or the other, such device being operated by the control means aforesaid;

Other objects in view are to provide a novel form of egg turning means and to otherwise improve the details of the various instrumentalities entering into the construction of the apparatus.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically de scribed and claimed. Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevationof a device constructed. in accordance with this inven tion. 7

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3. is a sectional view taken about on the plane indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 3, on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the casing, showing more clearly the circulation system.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the egg tray. Fig. 7 is a detailed sectional view showing the thermostatic control means more clearly.

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing the cooperation of the thermostatic actuating rod and the heater damper.

Fig. 9 is a detailed view of the circuit closing means for the alarm signal.

Throughout the following detailed description and on theseveral figures ofthe drawings, similar parts are referred to by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the incubator casing which is composed of suitable material and of a size, of course, depending upon the egg capacity, said casing being preferably supported upon the stand 2, and having a door 3 at the front side to give access to the interior. Usually.

a window 4': is provided in this door, these being conventional structural details of this type of apparatus.

\Vithin the casing, substantially central, the egg tray 5 is supported, said tray, as shown in Fig. 6, consisting of a frame 6 in the sides of which are removably journaled a series of rollers 7 spaced apart just sufficiently to properly support the eggs between each pair of rollers. At one end each roller isprovided with a knurled wheeler gear 8 resting upon the turning rack or bar 9 which projects through the side of the casing and is connected to a lever'lO intermediate its length, in turn supported at its lower end by a link connection to the side of the casing. Obviously movement of this lever to the right or left will turn the rollers 7 and by frictional contact with the eggs resting thereupon or therebetween, said eggs may be turned as required.

Below this eggtray is a chick receiving tray 12 and just beneath the latter the moisture tray 13. The latter is supported on ribs 14in spaced relation to the bottom which is provided centrally with the air inlet 15. The air thus entering at the center is effectively distributed by virtue of the position of the tray about the interior of the casing. The control of the circulation of the air is effected: by means of the damper or air valve, 16 which cooperates with a second opening or air outlet 17. at the top of the casing. The damper or disklG, is carried by,

the stem 18 guided by the spider 19 and resting upon an arm 20 which is pivoted at one end to abracket 21 attached to, theinterior of'the top of the casing. A post 22. supports the arm 20 and is carried by the thermostat 23, lugs 24: projecting from opposite sides of the post to cooperate withv spaced arms 25 extending laterally from the actuating rod 26. This rod extends from the thermostat outwardly through one side of the casing, shown in Fig.1, the outer 6X- tremity being provided with a forwardly projecting arm 27' adjustably secured to the rod and resting .upon the inner end of the damper lever 28. Said lever, pivotally supported midway of its length by the bracket 29, carries a damper or valve 30 at its end which cotiperates with the topandforms the closure for the upper end of the heater 31. 5

As. hereinbefore premised, the apparatus is of thewat er heating type and the heater referred to is of special construction, having vertical plpes 32 leadlng from the bottom which projects ,into the interior of the heater and is supported upon the swinging bracket 38. i r p Before setting forth the op'erationof the device, it'may be added that in apparatus of this character it is very desirable-to have some signal or alarm mechanism which will "give notice of abnormal temperature conditions in the incubator and one of our particularly special features is the provision of such ardevice operable in conjunction'with the heat and air control. Uponthe upper extremity of the damper stem 18 is removably carried a removable contact member 39 connecting'with a circuit wire i0 leading from a suitable source of electric current such as the battery 41 conveniently "supported beneath the incubator. ml is provided with a bent extremity 42 which lies between thesides of an overhang ing contact arm 43, which is U-shaped at its contact. end. This arm projects from a sleeve 4% loosely seating over a threaded rod 45 to which the electric wire 46 is connected. The rod carries an adjusting nut d'i'by means of which the sleeve is raised or lowered to produce the proper adjustment of the terminal arm 43 with respect to the contact 39. The circuit includessome suitable type of alarm'or signal, such as the'bell 48 This termiwhich is adapted to be disposed at a convenient place but is here shown mounted upon the body of the incubator itself.

With the foregoing in view, the operation of the apparatus will now be summarized.

VJhen the eggs have been disposed within the incubator, the lamp 3'? is lighted to provide' heat for the water circulation system, the heat being transmitted to the interior of the incubator casing thereby. The air inlet 15 permits of the entrance of a suitable amount of air which is always required and which takes up moisture from the water tray '13 so as to provide that moisture which isnecessary for producing the proper condition conducive to the hatching of the chicks. The heat within the incubator more or less affects the thermostat which in expanding and contracting raises or lowers the stem 18 and the air damper 16 so as. to control the opening 17 through which the heated air is permitted to escape. The movement of the stem 18 raises or lowers the contact 39 so that when the heat is'excessive or abnormal this contact will engage the ditions, under control of the thermostat, but

in addition to this the heater is also subject to control through the same means. The raising or lowering of the stem 18 asstated is effected by the arm 20 and its rise or fall actuates the rod 26 to rotate the same. Thus, whenthe thermostat expands the arm 27 of the rod 26 will move downwardly actu ating the lever 28 to raise the damper 30 superposedupon the heater. A. certain amount of heat therefore is permitted to escape and this results in a reduction of the temperature within the incubator. When the thermostat contracts the arm 27 rises and permits the damper 30 to fall into its closed position whereby the heat will be re tained in the boiler and effect a rise of temperature in the incubator. The mechanism is designed to be quite sensitive. So long as the source of heat remains constant the tem- V perature is maintained uniform by the con-' trol instrumentalitie s as will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art to which the invention relates. p

From time totime, as required, the eggs upon theegg. tray may be turned by means of the egg turning lever 10 which is shifted inwardly or outwardly to obtain the desired result. A very eiiicient apparatus of this type is thus produced by the foregoing construction and we desire it to be understood that slight modifications may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of the invention, and within the terms of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing having an air inlet at its bottom and an air outlet at its top, a damper valve for said top opening, a thermostat beneath the valve and adapted to raise and lower the same with respect to the opening responsive to temperature changes within the casing, a heater at one side of the casing having a damper valve normally closed for controlling the heat of the heater,

a horizontally rotatable actuating rod having upon one end an arm connecting with the thermostat and at its other end an oppositely arranged arm cooperative with the heater valve whereby upon abnormal temperature conditions to actuate said heater valve.

2. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, a water heater at one side of the same, circulation means for the water within the casing, a source of heat for the heater, means for controlling the ,heat, including a valve actuating lever mounted adjacent to the heater, a thermostat arranged within the casing, an actuating rod journaled in said casing and having an arm. at one end projecting into the path of movement of the thermostat, and means on said rod at its other end cooperative with the lever aforesaid whereby to shift said,

lever to effect the control of the heat supplied to the heater.

3. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, a water heater at one side of the same, circulation means for the water within the casing, a source of heat for the heater, means for controlling the heat including a valve actuating lever mounted adjacent to the heater, a thermostat arranged within the casing, an actuating rod journaled in said casing and connecting at one end with the thermostat, means on said rod at its other end cooperative with the lever aforesaid whereby to shift said lever to effect the control of the heat supplied to the heater, an air circulation damper valve cooperative with the casing, a support ing arm therefor and means also operated by the thermostat independently of the rod aforesaid to actuate said arm and damper valve simultaneously with the actuation of the rod aforesaid.

4. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, thermostatic control means arranged within the casing, an air valve for said casing, means intermediate said valve and the thermostatic control means whereby the former may be actuated, and a signal device operable by the air valve when abnormal temperature conditions prevail within the casing.

5. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, thermostatic control means arranged within the casing, an air valve for said casing, means intermediate said valve and the thermostatic control means whereby the former may be actuated, and a signal device operable by the air valve when abnormal temperature conditions prevail within the casing, said signal device comprising an electric circuit and a circuit closer carried by the air valve.

6. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, thermostatic control means arranged within the same, a damper valve for controlling the temperature within the casing operable by thermostatic control means, and a signal device operable when abnormal temperature conditions prevail within the casing including an electric circuit, a contact terminal, and a circuit closer mounted upon the damper valve and 0p erable to close the circuit when the heat with in the casing is excessive or when the heat within the casing falls below normal.

7. An incubator of the class described comprising a casing, a water heater disposed at one side thereof, a source of heat for said heater, a damper valve for the heater, a lever for actuating said valve, a thermostat within the casing operatively connected to said lever, an air valve coacting with the casing to control the escape of air therefrom including a stem and an arm pivotally mounted adjacent'to thermostat and operable thereby, said arm constituting the support for the air valve, and a signal device including an electric circuit an ad justable contact terminal comprising an overhanging arm arranged adjacent to the air valve and a circuit closer mounted upon the air valve and shiftable with respect to the contact terminal by the thermostat arm aforesaid.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

onovnn o. mronnn. CLAIRE KITCHEN. 

